Slicing machine



Oct. 16, 1934.

C. LITTLEFIELD SLICING MACHINE 7 Sheets-Sheet i Filed March 25, 1952 INVENTOR BY Carl Lifflm icld Oct. 16, 1934.

c. LITTLEFIELD 1,977,071

SLICING MACHINE Filed March 23, 1932 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 T. Z INVENTOR BY Carl Lirfleficld Q v"/ k OR Em Oct. 16, 1934.

c. LITTLEFIEDLD 1,977,071

SLICING MACHINE Filed March 25, 1932 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN VENT OR Oct. 16, 1934- c. LITTLEFIELD SLICING MACHINE Filed March 25, 1952 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR a w%m 4 0 H w L A H w SLICING MACHINE Filed March 23, 1932 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR Mam/ KM ATTORNEYS Oct. 16, 1934. c. LITTLEFIELD SLICING MACHINE Filed March 23, 1932 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 kfl/ INVENTOR Oct. 16, 1934.

C. LITTLEFIELD SLICING MACHINE Filed March 25, 1952 '7 Sheets-Sheet 7 INVENTOR By 6014 Lifilcfig I RNEYZ'AI? Patented Oct.- 16, 1934 UNITED STATES PATIENT OFFICE SLICIN G MACHINE Application March 23, 1932, Serial No. 600,763

19 Claims.

The main objects of this invention are: First, to provide an improved slicing machine for slicing bread and the like.

Second, to provide new and improved means for reciprocating and rocking the cutting knives.

Third, to provide means for guiding and holding the individual slices in place as the article is advanced through the cutting knives.

Fourth, to provide means whereby to change the pressure exerted by said guiding and holding means.

Fifth, to provide means for automatically and mechanically transferring the sliced articles as units from the slicing machine to and between the flights of an endless conveyor moving at right angles to theslicing'machine.

Sixth, to provide means whereby the transfer means is actuated when a sliced article is advanced to a position between the transfer means. I

Seventh, to provide improved means for actuating the cutting knives or saw blades.

Eighth, to provide means for discontinuing the operation of the feed means when the last article has been sliced without stopping the driving motor. Ninth, to provide improved'means for transferring the sliced loaves as units from the machine without injuring the articles. 30 Tenth, to provide means for synchronizing the feed and discharge means.

Eleventh, to provide a slicing machine having means associated therewith for manually advancing an article to be sliced through the cutting knives without the possibility of injury to the manipulator.

Objects relating to details and economies of my invention will appear from the description to follow. The invention is defined and pointed out in theclaims.

A structure which isa preferred embodiment of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of a slicing machine embodying my invention, taken on line 11 of Figs. 2 and 3.

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section taken on a line corresponding to line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal section taken on a line corresponding to. line 33 of Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view in side elevation, illustrating the synchronizing mechanism and the transfer means.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view of the side ofthe transfer mechanism.

machine opposite to Fig. 4, showing parts in vertical section to illustrate the means for operating the transfer mechanism when the sliced article is presented therebetween for transfer.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse vertical section taken on a line corresponding to line 6-6 of Figs. 3 and 4.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section taken on a line corresponding to line 7-7 of Figs. 3 and 4.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary top plan view of the discharge end of the machine, showing the transfer mechanism and discharge conveyor.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section illustrating in detail one of the grippers of the transfer mechanism taken on a line corresponding to line 9-9 of Figs. 1, 3, 5 and 8.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged fragmentary view par- *tially in plan and partially in horizontal section taken on a line corresponding to line 1010 of Fig. 9, illustrating the operation and construction of one of the grippers.

Fig. 11 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section taken on line 11-11 of Fig. 2, showing how the rockshafts are actuated.

Fig. 12 is an enlarged vertical section taken on a line corresponding to line 12--12 of Fig. 2, illustrating the cutting mechanism in detail, and

Fig. 13 is an and elevation of a detail of the In the embodiment of my invention illustrated in the drawings, numeral 1 represents a supporting frame which carries an electric motor 2 for operating the machinqe. The motor'2 is mounted on the tiltable bracket 3 which is in turn mounted on the horizontal shaft 4 rotatably carried by the frame 1. Means are provided for tilting the motor 2 and bracket ,3 for changing the tension on the belt 5, which means consists of hand wheel 6, worm 7, and gear wheel 8 (see Fig. 1).

Through the belt 5, the motor 2 drives the shaft 9 which is journaled in the frame 1. Near the ends of the shaft 9 are mounted a pair of eccentrics 10 and 11 (see Figs. 11 and 12) which are adapted to actuate the connecting rods 12 and 13, respectively, provided with suitable eccentric straps 14. Ball bearings are preferably provided for these eccentrics.

The connecting rods 12 and 13 are in turn connected to crank arms 15 and 16. These crank arms are fixed to the ends of the spaced parallel lower rockshafts 17 and 18, respectively. The spaced parallel upper rockshafts 19 and 20 are also provided with crank arms 21 and 22 which are connected to the crank arms 15 and 16, respectively, by links 23 and 24. In this construction, it will be observed that the rockshafts 1'7, 18, 19 and 20 are arranged so as to form a rectangle, the rockshafts being disposed at the corners thereof. Each .of the above described rockshaft actuating mechanisms 5 is disposed within a protective casing 25. While I have shown a rockshaft actuating mechanism at each side of the machine, it is to be understood that the rockshafts may be actuated by a single mechanism of this type.

Referring to Fig. 12, it will be noted that each of the rockshafts is provided with a plurality of rocker arms 26. These rocker arms carry the cutter blades 27 which are preferably toothed and arranged to face in the same direction. The cutter blades are connected to the rocker arms of diagonally opposite rockshafts so that while one set of blades moves downwardly the other moves upwardly, the diagonally opposite rockshaft being actuated simultaneously in the same direction. It will also be noted that alternating arms of the rockshafts are offset several degrees with respect to each other as shown in Fig. 12 and that the arms are long enough so that they overlap.

The articles to be sliced by the machine, such as loaves of bread, are advanced toward the cutting blades by means of the spaced vertical belts 28 and the horizontal belt 29 (Fig. 1). These belts are driven at the same speed by the feed belt drive shaft 30 which is directly connected to the pulley 31 of the horizontal belt 29 and to the pulleys 32 of the vertical belts 28 by means of the bevel gears 33 and 34 (Fig. 2). Means are provided for changing the distance between the vertical belts for accommodating articles of different lengths, which preferably consists of the spaced screws 35 which are connected together by the chain belt 36 and operated from a single hand wheel (not shown).

The loaves of bread or other articles are advanced by the belts 28 and 29 toward the cutting knives of the machine, the loaf 3'7 being advanced through the cutting knives by the pressure of the loaves therebehind, which are being advanced by the belts 28 and 29. This pressure is just sufficient to urge the loaf 37 through the cutters or knives at the proper speed and pressure. Theloaf 3'7 and the individual slices 38 thereof (see Fig. 12) are held in place above the supporting plate 39 by the guide or pressure fingers 40 which are disposed between the blades 2'7. The fingers 40 are pivotally carried by the cross rod 41, the ends of which are (Figs. 1 and 2) carried in turn by spaced brackets 42. The movement of the fingers 40 relative to the rod 41 is limited by the key 43 (Fig. 12) which coacts with the slot 44. Each of the fingers 40 is provided with a tension spring 45 which is adapted to urge the same into engagement with the loaf and the slices 38 as the loaf is advanced through the blades 27.

The brackets 42 are pivoted to the frame 1 at 46 and are connected together by the longitudinal connecting rod 4'7 which extends through the vertical slot 48 in the head 49. The vertical position of the connecting rod 4'7 relative to the head 49 is controlled by the manually adjustable screw 50 which is connected to the rod 4'7 by the traveling nut 51. The arrangement is such that the guide or pressure fingers 10 may be adjusted to articles of different size by merely turning the screw 50.

When the last loaf of bread is advanced by the belts 28 and 29 to a position in front of the blades 27, it is necessary to manually push this last loaf 52, indicated by dotted lines, (see Fig. 1) through the blades. This may be done with the hand, but injury is liable to result from this practice, and, therefore, I provide means for pushing the loaf 52 through the cutters, which obviates the possibility of injury to the manipulator. This means consists of an arm 53 pivoted to the frame at 54 above and slightly in front of the cutters. The arm 53 is suitably curved and is provided at its outer end with a loaf-engaging plate 55 which is pivotally connected thereto at 56. Normally, the arm 53 occupies the position illustrated by Fig. 1, supported by the rod 47. However, when it is desired to advance the last loaf 52 manually through the blades, the arm 53 is swung to the position illustrated by dotted lines in Fig. 1, and the loaf is advanced through the cutters by applying pressure to the arm 53 in the direction of advance of the loaf. The use of the pusher in this manner obviates all possibility of injury to the operator.

After the loaves have been sliced by the blades 2'7, they are advanced by succeeding loaves between the spaced vertical guide 57 to a position between the spaced rotary grippers 58 of the transferring mechanism. As illustrated byFigs. 8 to 10, inclusive, the grippers 58 are of. oval shape and are provided with soft facings 59 0f spongy rubber or the like. The grippers are driven by the drive shaft 60 through bevel gears 61 and 62, shaft 63, arm 64, pinion 65, and circular rack 66. The rack is fixed to and under the inverted cover or housing 68 which houses the arm, pinion, and rack. As the drive shaft 60 rotates the pinion 65 around the stationary rack 66, the grippers 58 are rotated in the manner of the earth about the sun, or planetarywise, so that the grippers engage the sliced loaves 69 with a rolling action in the direction of the advance thereof with a slightly compressive force which tends to close up the spaces between the slices 38. y

The drive shaft '70, see Figs. 4 and 8, is driven continuously from the wrapping machine motor (not shown). Secured to the end of the drive shaft 60 (Fig. 13) is a crank disk 72 which is connected to the rockshaft '73 by the arm '74 thereon and the connecting rod '75. The rockshaft 73 is journaled to spaced brackets '76 which are secured to the frame 1 at 7'7. As indicated by Fig. 1, therockshaft '73 is provided with a pusher arm '78 mounted thereon above the grippers 58. The pusher arm '78 is swung back of the loaves as they are being transferred by the grippers 58 to assist the grippers in the transferring operation. The pusher arm '78 is operated in synchronism with the grippers 58 for this purpose.

As the sliced loaves are advanced to a position between the grippers 58, they engage and actuate the upstanding triggers or tripping members 179 (Fig. 1) carried by the rockshaft 180 (Fig. 3). The rockshaft 180 is provided with a crank arm 181 which is connected to the crank arm 182 on the shaft 80, which extends to the sides of and is mounted on theframe 1. The weight 183 carried by the shaft is adapted to urge the trippers 1'79 to their normal or upright position. Arms 184 and 185 are mounted on the ends of the shaft 80 and are provided with pins 186 and 187 for actuating the 'bell cranks '79 and 117, respectively.

The bell crank 79 is pivoted at 188 and connected to the sear 81 by the adjustable link 82. The sear 81 is pivoted at 83 and is adapted to engage the pivoted pawl release 84 when the bell crank 79 is held in its upright or inoperative position by the tripping members 179. The pivoted pawl release or tappet 84 is disposed in the path of the pawl 85 which is connected to the drive shaft '70. A spring 86 urges the pawl 85, pivoted at 87, to its outer position so that the notch 88 provided thereon engages the projection or lug 89 carried by the gear wheel 90 which meshes with the gear wheel 91 on the shaft 60.

As the drive shaft rotates the pawl 85, it is engaged by the pawl release tappet 84 which depresses the pawl against the force of the spring 86 and disengages it from the lug 89. When the bell crank 79 is held in actuated position by the engagement of succeeding loaves with the tripping members 179, the driving connection is maintained. This operates to establish a driving connection from the drive shaft 70 to the gear wheel and thence to the gear wheel 91 on the drive shaft 60. The drive shaft 60 thereupon immediately sets the grippers 58 and the pusher arm 78 into operation to transfer the sliced loaf as a unit from the slicing machine to the conveyor 92 (Fig. 8) which is provided with spaced flights 93 moving at right angles to the slicing machine over horizontal ways 94. The space between the flights 93 is just suflicient to take care of the sliced loaf as a unit, the mechanisms of the conveyor and the slicer being timed'so that the spaced flights 93 are moved step by step in synchronism with the operation of the feed means to present the flights in position to receive the sliced loaves from the grippers.

The shaft 9 drives the shaft 95 through gears housed within the gear box 96 (Fig. 4). The shaft '95 (Fig. 7) is in turn connected tothe conveyor drive shaft (30 through bevel gears 97, sprocket 98, chain belt 99, and sprocket 100. The sprocket 100 is loosely carried by the conveyor drive shaft 30, but is secured to the beveled driving gear 101 of the planetary gear system 102. The drum beveled gear 103 of the planetary gear system 102 is connected to the shaft 95 through sprocket 104, chain belt 105, sprocket 106, shaft 107, gear wheel 108, pinion 109, clutch 110, (Fig. 4) shaft 111, worm 112, and gear wheel 113. The gear wheel 113 and the beveled gear 103 are secured together. posed between the gears 101 and 103 and meshing therewith, are a. pair of planetary gears 114 and 115 journaled to the pin 116 extending through the feed conveyor drive shaft 30.

The beveled gean 101 is driven continuously by the motor 2 through the driving connection described above. Therefore, if the gear wheel 103 is held stationary, the feed conveyor shaft 30 will be rotated by the operation of the planetary gears 114 and 115. If, however, the gear 103 is rotated oppositely to and at the same speed as the gear wheel 101, the feed conveyor shaft 30 will remain stationary. In other words, so long as the clutch 110 (Fig. 4) remains open, the feed conveyor shaft 30 will be operated to advance the articles to be sliced to the machine. When, however, the clutch 110 is closed, the feed is stopped.

The clutch is controlled in the following man- Disnor. The actuating of the bell crank 117, pivoted at 189, by the continued turning of the tripping members 179, moves the connecting rod 119 to the right, as illustrated by Fig. 4. This action in turn lifts the latch arm 1-20 of the bell crank 121 pivoted at 122 out of engagement with the clutch lever 123 which is pivoted at 124. The compression spring 125 thereupon closes the clutch 110 which, as described above, stops the feeding mechanism.

The drive shaft 60 of the transfer mechanism is, however, provided with a cam 126 which coacts with the cam follower 127 connected to the sliding rod 128. When the rod 128 is moved to the left, as viewed by Fig. 4, by the operation of the cam 126 and the cam follower 127,. it carries with it the lug 129 which engages the lower end of the clutch lever 123 and pulls theclutch 110 out of mesh. The rod 128 is held out of engagement with the lower end of the clutch lever 123 by the compression spring 130 disposed around said rod between the stationary bearing 131 and the lug 129. The operation of the transfer mechanism, in this manner, controls the feeding mechanism.

From the above description, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the feeding mechanism is maintained in operation in synchronism with the discharging or transfer mechanism which in turn is controlled by the tripping members 179.

I have illustrated and described my improve- -ments in an embodiment which I have found very practical. I have not attempted to illustrate and describe various modifications and adaptations which I contemplate as it is believed that this disclosure will enable those skilled in the art to embody or adapt my improvements as may be desired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a slicing machine, the combination with a slicing table, of coacting pairs of rockshafts,

the rockshafts of the pairs being disposed in diagonally opposed relation one above and the other below the table, rocker arms on said rockshafts, the arms of the corresponding rockshafts of the pairs being disposed with their ends in alternating overlapping relation, alternating arms of the rockshafts being disposed in different radial planes, sets of blades mounted on corresponding arms of the pairs of rockshafts, and means for feeding the articles to be sliced to said blades with the center of the articles in approximately the longitudinal center of the blades.

2. In a slicing machine, the combination with a slicing table, of coacting pairs of rockshafts, the rockshafts of the pairs being disposed in diagonally opposed relation one above and the other below the table, rocker arms on said rockshafts, the arms. of the corresponding rockshafts of the pairs being disposed with their ends in alternating overlapping relation, sets of blades mounted on corresponding arms of the pairs of rockshafts, and means for feeding the articles to be sliced to said blades with the center of the articles in approximately the longitudinal center of the blades.

3. In a slicing machine, the combination with a slicing table, of coacting' pairs of rockshafts, the rockshafts of the pairs being disposed in diagonally opposed relation one above and the other below the table, rocker arms on said rockshafts, the arms of the corresponding rockshafts of the pairs being disposed with their ends in alternating overlapping relation, alternating arms of the rockshafts being disposed in different radial planes, and sets of blades mounted on corresponding arms of the pairs of rockshafts.

4. In a slicing machine, the combination with a slicing table, of coacting pairs of rockshafts, the rockshafts of the pairs being disposed in diagonally opposed relation one above and the other below the table, rocker arms on said rockshafts, the arms of the corresponding rockshafts of the pairs being disposed with their ends in alternating overlapping relation, and sets of blades mounted on corresponding arms of the pairs of rockshafts.

5. In a slicing machine, the combination with a slicing table, of coacting pairs of rockshafts, the rockshafts of the pairs being disposed in diagonally opposed relation one above and the other below the table, said pairs of rockshafts being provided with oppositely-disposed actuating arms connected by links whereby they are rocked in unison, a driving eccentric having pitmen connected to one actuating arm of each pair of rockshafts, rocker arms mounted on said rockshafts, sets of blades mounted on corresponding arms of the pairs of rockshafts, and

means for feeding the articles to be sliced to said blades with the center of the articles in approximately the longitudinal center of the blades.

6. In a slicing machine, the combination with a slicing table, of coacting pairs of rockshafts, the rockshafts of the pairs being disposed in diagonally opposed relation one above and the other below the table, said pairs of rockshafts being provided with oppositely-disposed actuating arms connected by links whereby they are rocked in unison, a driving eccentric having pitmen connected to one actuating arm of each pair of rockshafts, rocker arms mounted on said rockshafts, and sets of blades mounted on corresponding arms of the pairs of rockshafts.

7. In a slicing machine, the combination of coacting pairs of rockshafts, the rockshafts of the pairs being disposed in diagonally opposed relation, rocker arms mounted on said rockshafts, the arms of the corresponding rockshafts of the pairs being disposed with their ends in alternating overlapping relation, alternating arms of the rockshafts being disposed in different radial planes, and sets of blades mounted on corresponding arms of the pairs of rockshafts.

8. In a slicin g machine, the combination of coacting pairs of rockshafts, the rockshafts of the pairs being disposed in diagonally opposed relation, rocker arms mounted on said rockshafts, the arms of the corresponding rockshafts of the pairs being disposed with their ends in alternating overlapping relation, and sets of blades mounted on corresponding arms of the pairs of rockshafts.

9. In a slicing machine of the class described, the combination of four spaced parallel rockshafts, a plurality of spaced rocker arms carried by each of said rockshafts, saw blades loose- 1y connected to the rocker arms of diagonally opposite rockshafts, adjacent blades being associated with different pairs of rockshafts, and means for rocking said pairs of rockshafts simultaneously and oppositely, whereby to impart reciprocating and rocking movements to said blades, comprising a drive shaft, eccentrics connected to said drive shaft. connecting rods driven by said eccentrics, and crank arms carried by said rockshafts and connected to said connecting rods.

10. In a slicing machine of the class described, the combination of four spaced parallel rockshafts, a plurality of spaced rocker arms carried by each of said rockshafts, saw blades connected to the rocker arms of diagonally opposite rockshafts, and means for rocking said pairs of rockshafts simultaneously and oppositely, whereby to impart reciprocating and rocking movements to said blades, comprising a drive shaft, eccentrics connected to said drive shaft, connecting rods driven by said eccentrics, and crank arms carried by said rockshafts and connected to said connecting rods.

11. In a slicing machine of the class described the combination with feeding mechanism, slicing mechanism, and transfer mechanism, 0: means for synchronizing said mechanisms, comprising a planetary gear system associated with said feeding mechanism, means connecting said transfer mechanism to the other side of said planetary gear system, a clutch disposed in said last named connecting means, means connecting said clutch to said transfer mechanism, whereby to open said clutch each time said transfer means is operated, and means for closing said clutch upon the cessation of delivery of sliced articles tosaid transfer means from said slicing mechanism.

12. In a slicing machine of the class described, the combination with feeding mechanism, slicing mechanism. and transfer mehanism, of means for synchronizing said mechanisms, comprising a planetary gear system associated with said feeding mechanism. means connecting said feeding mechanism to one side of said planetary gear system, means connecting said transfer mechanism to the other side of said planetary gear system, a clutch disposed in said last named connecting means, and means connecting said clutch to said transfer mechanism, whereby to open said clutch each time said transfer means is operated.

13. A slicing machine provided with a transfer mechanism, a feeding mechanism for delivering sliced articles to said transfer mechan'sm, and means synchronizing the operation of said mechanisms, including means responsive to the delivery of a sliced article to said transfer mechanism for setting the latter in operation, means for stopping said transfer mechanism at the end of each cycle of operation in transferring the sliced article, and means for stopping said feeding mechanism upon the cessation of the.

delivery of sliced articles to said transfer mechanism.

14. The combination with a slicing machine provided with a delivery table having guide members between which the sliced article is delivered, of a conveyor disposed transversely to the path of the sliced articles on said table, said conveyor comprising holders spaced to receive the sliced article between them, a pair of oval coacting transfer members mounted to travel in a circular path, means for driving said transfer members and simultaneously rotating the same- 15. The combination with a slicing machine provided with a delivery table having guide members between which the sliced article is delivered, of a conveyor disposed transversely to the path of the sliced articles on said table, said conveyor comprising holders spaced to receive the sliced articlebetween them, a pair of coacting transfer members mounted to travel in an orbit, means for driving said transfer members in their orbit and simultaneously rotating the same whereby they are caused to engage the ends of the sliced article, and a pusher synchronized with said transfer members for delivering the sliced article between said holders of said conveyor, said conveyor and transfer means being driven in synchronism.

16. The combination with a delivery table having article guide members, of a conveyor provided with spaced coacting holders disposed transversely to the path of the articles on said table, a pair of oval coacting transfer members mounted to travel in a circular path, means for driving said transfer members and simultaneously rotating them whereby they are caused to engage the ends of the sliced articles and advance them with a substantially uniform gripping action, and a pusher synchronized with said transfer members for delivering the article to said conveyor holder, said conveyor and transfer mechanism being driven in synchronism.

17. The combination with a delivery table having article guide members, of a conveyor provided with spaced coacting holders disposed transversely to the path of the articles on said table, coacting transfer members mounted to travel in an orbital path, means for driving said transfer members and simultaneously rotating them, and a pusher synchronized with said transfer members for delivering the article to said conveyor holder, said conveyor and transfer mechanism being driven in synchronism.

18. The combination with a delivery table, of 'a conveyor disposed transversely to the path of the articles on said table, a pair of oval coacting transfer members mounted to travel in a circular path, means for driving said transfer members and simultaneously rotating them whereby they are caused to engage the ends of the article and advance them with a substantially uniform gripping action, and a pusher synchronized with said transfer members for delivering the article to said conveyor.

19. The combination with a delivery table, of a conveyor disposed transversely to the path of the articles on said table, coacting transfer members mounted to travel in an orbital path, means for driving said transfer members and simultaneously rotating them, and a pusher synchronized with said transfer members for delivering the article to said conveyor.

CARL 

